A group in China claims that the Japanese iconic symbol cherry blossom flower was first found on Chinese soil, not in Japan or South Korea.

"We do not want to start a war of words with Japan or Korea but we would like to state the fact that many historical literary references prove that cherry blossom originated in China," said China Cherry Industry Association Executive Chairman He Zongru. "As Chinese, we are obliged to let more people know about this part of history."

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He stated that the cherry blossom seeds originally came from the Himalayan Mountains of China and has only reached Japan during the Tang Dynasty more than 1,100 years ago. He backed this claim by an entry of the Sakura Taikan, a famous Japanese almanac that was published in 1975.

He's claim was prompted by media reports, which cited that South Korea earlier declared that cherry blossom was first found in Jeju, an island at the southern part of South Korea.

"Simply put, the cherry blossom originated in China and flourished in Japan. South Korea has nothing to do with it," He added.

Zhang Zuoshuang of the Botanical Society of China also said more than 50 of the 150 kinds of wild cherry blossoms worldwide are found in China.

Meanwhile, Dr. Takeshi Kinoshita, a botany professor at Teikyo University, was skeptical about South Korea's claim, saying that country makes such a claim whenever the cherry blossoms bloom each year.

For decades, the cherry blossom has been one of Japan's iconic symbols, and it has become tradition for Japanese dignitaries to give cherry blossom plants to other nations as a symbol of goodwill and diplomacy. It once gave a cherry blossom plant to the United States in one of their diplomatic engagements.

TagsCherry Blossom, Cherry fight